973.7L63   Wright,  Carrie  Douglas 

H4W93L 

1920      Lincoln's  First  Love 


WRIGHT 


LINCOLN  ROOM 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 
LIBRARY 

presented  by 

Marion  D.  Pratt  Estate 

9T3. 


Lincoln's  First   Love 

j*  <By°  Carrie  <Dou&las  Wright  j* 


Published  by 

THE  EDW.  F.  HARTMANN  CO. 
Springfield,  111. 


COPYRIGHT  1907 

By  CARRIE  DOUGLAS  WRIGHT 

Second  Edition,  1920 


INTRODUCTION. 

This  story  of  "Lincoln's  First  Love"  is  ab- 
solutely authentic.  The  facts  I  obtained  from 
Mrs.  Samuel  Hill,  a  close  friend  and  neighbor 
of  the  Rutledge  family  in  Old  Salem,  as  she 
afterwards  was,  of  the  Wright  family  in 
Petersburg. 

Many  hours  I  have  spent  listening  with 
greatest  interest  to  Mrs.  Hill,  as  she  related 
incidences  of  her  life  in  Old  Salem.  She  dwelt 
upon  the  pathetic  story  of  Lincoln's  love  for 
Ann  Rutledge.  She  spoke  of  having  made  a 
dress  and  a  long  cape  for  Ann.  "I  can  see  her 
now,"  she  said,  "As  she  stood  smiling  back  at 
me  over  her  shoulder,  while  I  measured  the 
length  of  her  dress.  Ann  had  a  sunny  dispo- 
sition and  a  beautiful  smile."  I  took  notes 
of  all  Mrs.  Hill  said,  and  have  woven  them 
into  the  following  story  which  I  hope  will 
touch  the  hearts  of  my  readers  as  it  touched 

my  own. 
•— y 

The  State  of  Illinois  has  recently  purchased 

the  site  of  Old  Salem,  and  in  replica,  will 
soon  stand  the  little  village  among  the  hills 
overlooking  the  Sangamon  river,  just  as  it 
stood  when  Abraham  Lincoln  wooed  and 
won  Ann  Rutiedge. 

— Carrie  Douglas  Wright. 


LINCOLN'S  FIEST  LOVE. 


WO  miles  south  of  Petersburg, 
in  the  state  of  Illinois,  are  the 
hills  of  New  Salem,  pictur- 
esque and  beautiful;  yet  with 
all  their  picturesqueness  and  beauty, 
they  would  probably  never  have 
gained  more  than  local  fame  had  not 
Abraham  Lincoln  there  spent  his 
early  life  and  met  his  first  love. 

Just  west  of  the  Sangamon  River 
is  the  hill  on  which  the  little  town  of 
New  Salem  was  built.  It  is  very  steep 
and  rugged,  until  you  reach  the  sum- 
mit, where  it  is  comparatively  level. 
The  view  from  this  hill  is  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  in  Illinois.  At  its  foot 
stands  the  old  mill,  long  since  still,  as 
are  the  hands  that  there  changed  the 
golden  grain  into  snowy  flakes  of  flour. 
The  noisy  dam  rushes  and  roars,  dis- 
turbing the  quiet  and  peace  of  the  for- 
saken place.  Not  a  vestige  of  the  little 
town  of  New  Salem  remains.  Two 


10  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

forest  trees  spread  their  protecting 
arms  over  the  sod  where  once  stood 
Abraham  Lincoln's  little  store.  Upon 
one  of  these  trees  some  skillful  hand 
has  carved  his  firm,  kind  features. 

Lift  up  your  heads,  0  stately  trees ; 

Flow  on,  0  shining  river! 
Your  fame  shall  live  with  Lincoln's 
name, 

In  freedom's  breast  forever. 

Early  in  the  thirties,  when  Indians 
roamed  the  prairies  of  Illinois,  and 
herds  of  deer  lapped  the  sparkling 
water  of  the  rivers,  a  young  man  who 
was  destined  to  become  one  of  the 
greatest,  if  not  the  greatest  man  this 
country  has  produced,  came  to  New 
Salem  to  dwell  among  the  hills.  He 
was  a  most  unattractive  lad,  with 
trousers  of  jean  and  homespun  jacket, 
not  well  fitted  to  his  lean,  lank  form. 
One  of  the  first  persons  to  make 
friends  with  Lincoln  was  Mintor  Gra- 
ham, the  village  schoolmaster.  This 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  11 

man  was  fond  of  books  and  learning, 
and  lie  was  not  long  in  interesting 
Abe,  who  was  most  grateful  for  the 
instruction  Mr.  Graham  freely  and 
gladly  gave  him.  Lincoln  was  very 
fond  of  arithmetic,  and  to  his  teacher's 
delight,  mastered  the  tables  and  learn- 
ed to  do  sums  as  well  as  the  brightest 
scholar  in  his  school.  Grammar  was 
the  next  study  taken  up  by  the  young 
student,  and  he  was  seldom  seen  with- 
out a  book  in  his  hand.  Abe,  as  he 
was  familiarly  called,  opened  a  store 
of  general  merchandise  and  groceries. 
His  genial  manner  and  his  honesty 
won  for  him  many  friends,  and  he  was 
quite  successful  in  his  business. 
*  *  *  *  * 

Each  morning,  with  neatly  braided 
hair,  a  frock  of  homespun  reaching  to 
her  ankles,  a  plain  waist  of  the  same 
brown  material  buttoned  down  the 
back,  a  little  blue  sunbonnet  tied  un- 
der her  chin,  Ann  Eutledge  tripped 


UNIVERSITY  nc 


12  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

away  to  school.  She  was  a  general 
favorite,  and  lucky  was  the  lad  who 
discovered  the  first  wild  rose  on  the 
hillside  to  pin  on  the  border  of  her 
little  bonnet. 

Ann  was  full  of  sentiment;  in  the 
wild  flowers  that  grew  on  the  hillside, 
in  the  song  of  the  thrush,  in  the  gold 
of  the  sunset,  she  read  lessons  that 
afforded  her  delights  of  which  her 
companions  knew  nothing. 

Mintor  Graham  was  a  tall,  sinewy 
man,  with  sandy  hair,  and  small, 
sharp  features.  He  was  rather  stem; 
any  scholar  who  was  guilty  of  idleness 
or  levity  was  recalled  to  a  sense  of 
duty  by  a  single  glance  of  the  master 's 
eye. 

The  schoolhouse  was  a  primitive 
structure  of  logs  and  mud  plaster, 
with  a  huge  chimney  and  a  great  fire- 
place. Often  when  the  hickory  logs 
burned  bright,  fantastic  shadows  of 
the  master  were  reflected  on  the  walls, 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  13 

causing  the  smaller  boys  to  nudge  each 
other  in  great  merriment.  Each  win- 
dow contained  but  four  small  panes 
of  glass,  the  seats  were  slabs  sup- 
ported by  four  wooden  pegs,  the  only 
desk  was  the  teacher's  one,  a  rudely 
constructed  affair,  at  which  the  pupils 
took  turns  at  writing.  Abe  Lincoln 
was  greatly  interested  in  Mr.  Gra- 
ham's school — and  in  one  scholar  in 
particular,  Ann  Rutledge.  She  had 
not  passed  his  store  twice  a  day,  to  and 
from  school,  unnoticed.  Often  he 
would  catch  himself  glancing  a.t  the 
clock,  wondering  if  it  was  not  time  for 
school  to  be  out,  and  he  would  listen 
for  the  footsteps  of  the  little  maid, 
who  was  slowly,  but  surely,  creeping 
into  his  heart. 

He  saw  the  face  of  Ann  Rutledge  in 
everything  that  grew.  Were  not  the 
nuts  on  the  hillside  the  same  brown  as 
her  soulful  eyes,  the  cardinal  flower 
the  red  of  her  lips,  the  haw  blossoms 


14  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

like  her  fair  brow,  and  the  sunlight  on 
the  stream  was  it  not  as  Ann's  bright 
smile?  Little  wonder  the  young  man 
thought  of  her  all  day,  and  dreamed  of 
her  by  night. 

Yet  this  man,  who  in  after  years 
faced  unflinchingly  the  greatest  dan- 
gers, had  not  the  courage  to  tell  this 
child,  who  belonged  to  nature,  just  as 
the  violet  or  anemone,  that  he  loved 
her. 

One  day,  as  Abe  sat  musing  in  his 
store,  his  thoughts  turned  to  Ann. 
Oh,  if  he  could  only  protect  her  in  the 
years  to  come  from  the  storms  of  life, 
as  the  great  oak  protects  the  little 
flower  that  grows  so  closely  by  it.  His 
reveries  were  abruptly  disturbed  by  a 
lad,  who  thrust  his  head  in  at  the  door, 
with:  "Say,  Abe,  thar's  a  boat  a-sink- 
in'  down  thar  in  the  river  nigh  the 
dam. ' ' 

Lincoln,  taking  his  hat,  locked  the 
store,  and  went  to  the  scene  of  trouble. 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  15 

He  found  the  boat  about  to  sink,  but 
with  his  unusual  strength,  he  managed 
to  get  it  over  the  dam ;  then,  by  boring 
a  hole,  and  tipping  the  boat  back,  he 
let  the  water  out.  On  hearing  of  the 
excitement,  Mr.  Graham  considered 
the  event  of  sufficient  importance  to 
make  him  dismiss  school. 

The  pupils  were  not  long  in  reach- 
ing the  scene.  Ann  trembled  with  f  ear 
when  she  saw  Abe  in  what  she  con- 
sidered a  most  dangerous  position. 

She  waited  anxiously  until  he  WHS 
safe  ashore.  The  shadows  were  now 
gathering,  and  together  the  two  walk- 
ed slowly  up  the  hill. 

"I  thought  sure  you  would  be 
drowned,  Abe,"  said  Ann. 

1 1  Would  you  have  cared  if  I  had 
been?"  replied  he. 

"Oh,  Abe,  I  should  feel  dreadful  to 
see  any  one  drowned. ' ' 

Mrs.  Eutledge  was  in  a  state  of 


16  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

great  excitement  when  they  reached 
the  house. 

"Why,  Ann,  you're  mighty  late, 
'pears  like;  where  hev  you  bin, 
honey?"  • 

"Down  to  the  river,  ma,  watching 
Abe  let  the  water  out  of  a  flatboat,  and 
it  in  danger  of  sinking  all  the  time. ' ' 

*  *  I  hain  't  got  no  time  to  hear  tell  of 
flatboats  nor  nuthin' now,  Ann.  Dad's 
goin'  to  St.  Louis  to-morrie,  and  we 
got  a  heap  to  do.  Sit  down,  Abe,  I 
forgot  my  manners,  I'm  so  stirred  up 
over  dad's  goin'." 

"I'll  go  back  to  the  store,  I  guess," 
said  Abe;  "you're  all  so  busy.  I'll 
come  to-morrow  evening,  Ann,  at  five 
o'clock.  Will  you  borrow  Mr.  Gra- 
ham's grammar?  then  we  can  study 
together. ' ' 

"I'm  glad  dad's  going  to  St. 
Louis, ' '  she  said,  *  *  for  he  will  get  me  a 
Kirham's  grammar,  so  we  won't  have 
to  borrow  any  more.  We  can  write 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  17 

our  lessons  to-morrow  evening.  Jim 
Armstrong  climbed  a  big  oak  tree,  got 
some  ink  galls,  and  made  me  as  much 
as  a  pint  of  ink,  I  guess.  Don't  you 
think  that  was  kind  of  Jim  I ' ' 

Abe  thought  so ;  in  fact,  he  thought 
it  too  kind  of  Jim. 

Mr.  Butledge  was  up  at  daybreak 
next  morning,  and  with  "prairie 
schooner"  filled  with  deer  pelts,  start- 
ed at  snail's  pace  for  St.  Louis. 

All  day  Abe  was  busy  in  his  store, 
drawing  molasses,  measuring  calico, 
or  weighing  carpet  chain,  but  not  for  a 
moment  did  he  forget  the  hazel  eyes 
of  Ann  Rutledge.  More  than  once  he 
stopped  to  listen  to  the  thrush,  which 
seemed  to  sing  her  praises ;  while  the 
robin's  sweet  song  expressed  his 
heart's  love  so  tenderly,  he  tried  to 
form  into  words  its  tremulous  notes. 
At  last  the  hands  of  the  little  wooden 
clock  on  the  wall,  with  its  weight  hang- 
ing down,  pointed  to  the  hour  of  five. 


18  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

Abe  stepped  to  the  mirror  and  looked 
at  his  plain,  honest  face ;  for  the  first 
time  in  his  life,  he  wished  he  were  a 
different  looking  man.  He  brushed 
his  stubborn  locks  from  his  broad  fore- 
head, picked  up  his  slouch  hat,  and 
sauntered  out,  leaving  store,  business, 
and  care  behind.  Ann  met  him  at  her 
mother's  door. 

' <  Come  in,  Abe,  and  be  careful  that 
you  don't  fall;  the  floor  is  pretty  slick, 
ma's  just  finished  scrubbing  it." 

The  floor  was  clean  and  white,  hav- 
ing been  scrubbed  with  soft  soap  and 
hickory  ashes.  Ann  handed  him  a 
gourd  of  cold  spring  water  from  the 
piggin  on  the  bench. 

''Did  you  get  the  grammar,  Ann?", 
asked  Abe. 

'  *  Of  course  I  did ;  I  knew  you  were 
coming  to  study. ' ' 

They  were  soon  in  the  midst  of  the 
intricacies  of  the  verb  "to  love." 

"First  person,  I  love." 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  19 

"You  love  who,  Ann?"  asked  he. 

"Not  Jim  Armstrong,"  said  Ann, 
as  she  glanced  mischievously  from  her 
book. 

Time  passed  rapidly,  and  they  were 
in  the  midst  of  their  lesson  when  Mrs. 
Rutledge  called: 

"Honey,  you  must  come  and  help 
ma  now.  Set  the  table  for  supper. ' ' 

Reluctantly  she  pushed  back  her 
chair  and  began  her  task.  On  the 
hearth  glowed  the  bright  hickory  em- 
bers ;  to  the  right  on  the  trevet  was  a 
pot  of  aromatic  coffee,  a  Dutch  oven 
to  the  left,  in  which  two  canvasback 
ducks  were  simmering  in  savory  gravy 
and  rich  dressing.  Swinging  on  the 
crane  over  the  blazing  logs  was  a 
kettle  of  jowl  and  hominy.  On  a  board 
in  front  of  the  fire  was  a  row  of  brown- 
ing johnnycakes.  Ann  spread  the 
homespun  cloth,  white  as  snow,  and 
put  in  its  place  each  blue  plate,  cup, 
saucer,  and  pewter  spoon.  When  she 


20  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

opened  the  cupboard  she  was  surpris- 
ed to  find  a  large  gourd  of  wild  honey. 

I  'Why,  ma,  where  did  you  get  this 
honey?" 

"Uncle  Lige  Watkins  robbed  a  bee 
tree  this  mornin',  and  Betsey  brung 
that  over,"  her  mother  answered. 
"Put  it  on  fer  supper.  I  'low  Abe 
would  like  some  with  his  johnny- 
cake." 

"Supper's  ready  now,  isn't  it, 
ma?"  asked  Ann. 

"Yes,  but  Dave  hain't  come  yit.  I 
wonder  what  diviltry  he's  up  to." 

I l  He 's  coming  up  the  hill  now, ' '  said 
Ann ;  ' '  and  what  is  that  he  has  ?  Why 
ma,  it's  a  wild  turkey!" 

"Bless  my  heart,  if  it  ain't!" 

As  he  entered,  Dave  threw  the  bird 
down  at  the  door,  saying:  "Ma, 
there's  a  present  fer  ye.  Bob  Clary 
went  out  huntin '  and  shot  six ;  he  sent 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  21 

this  one  to  you.  Guess  he  had  an  eye 
to  Ann." 

"Ah,  hurry  up  thar,  Dave!  Quit 
your  foolin'  and  git  ready  for  sup- 
per," said  his  mother. 

He  washed  his  hands  in  a  basin  that 
stood  on  a  bench  just  outside  the  door, 
and  came  in  bringing  'a  few  small 
sticks,  which  he  threw  on  the  fire. 

"Hullo,  Abe!  I  spose  you're  so 
taken  up  with  that  book  you  can't 
speak  to  a  body ;  you  and  Ann  will  be 
such  scholards,  common  folks  will  be 
af eared  to  speak  to  ye." 

All  did  ample  justice  to  the  supper, 
after  which  the  young  students  re- 
turned to  their  book,  and  studied  un- 
til nine  o  'clock,  when  Abe  arose  to  go. 

"I've  stayed  too  late,"  said  he.  "I 
hope  I  haven't  kept  you  up,  Mrs. 
Rutledge,"  as  he  noticed  she  was  doz- 
ing over  her  knitting  in  the  chimney 
corner. 

"Oh,  no!    I  hain't  sleepy,"  she  re- 


22  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

plied,  with  a  yawn.  ' '  I  'se  just  thinkT 
in'  uv  him,  wonderin'  if  he's  getting 
along  with  them  thar  hides  all  right. ' ' 

"Don't  worry,"  said  Abe;  "Mr. 
Rutledge  can  take  care  of  himself. 
Good  night,  all, ' '  and  he  lazily  strolled 
down  to  his  lonely  quarters.  Not  a 
sound  could  he  hear  but  the  beating  of 
his  own  heart,  and  the  calling  of  a 
whippoor-will  to  his  mate  from  the 
willows  which  fringed  the  river  banks. 

Nearly  four  weeks  had  passed,  and 
Mr.  Eutledge  had  not  returned.  Ann 
and  her  mother  were  anxious,  since 
they  knew  the  dangers  to  which  a  lone 
traveler  was  subject  on  that  perilous 
route.  The  barking  of  wolves  was  a 
familiar  sound,  and  these  ferocious 
animals  had  been  known  to  pursue 
travelers.  And  while  Dave  related 
thrilling  stories  of  wild  cats  and  pan- 
thers, he  generally  ended  by  laughing 
at  his  mother  and  sister  for  feeling 
anxious. 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  23 

"Now,  you  bet  dad's  all  right;  there 
hain't  nuthin'  goin'  to  hurt  him." 

"Ma,  the  Clarys  have  invited  Dave 
and  me  over  to-morrow  night,"  said 
Ann ; ' '  they  are  going  to  have  a  party. 
The  Potters,  Armstrongs,  and  Greens 
will  all  be  there.  May  I  go  ? " 

"Wai,  I  hain't  no  objections,"  said 
her  mother,  "if  you  git  that  spinnin' 
done.  I  'lowed  you'd  git  right  smart 
done  afore  a-Saturday  night." 

"Well,  so  I  will,  ma.  You  know  I 
can  work  fast  when  I  once  get  at  it." 

The  next  morning  Ann  was  at  her 
wheel  bright  and  early.  She  never 
looked  prettier ;  her  face  wore  a  happy 
smile,  her  slender  form  bending  grace- 
fully as  she  stepped  forward  and  back- 
ward, while  from  the  distaff  in  her 
hand  she  spun  yards  and  yards  of  flax. 
The  low  hum  of  the  wheel  made  a  most 
harmonious  accompaniment  to  the 
serious,  happy  thoughts  woven  into 
the  threads  she  was  spinning.  She 


24  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

was  thinking  of  Abe,  wondering  if  he 
cared  for  her  very  much,  wondering 
if  he  was  going  to  Springfield,  not  to 
return,  as  the  neighbors  said.  "I 
shall  ask  him, ' '  she  thought  to  herself, 
"and  shall  not  let  him  know  that  I 
care,  if  he  does  say  he  is  going.  Abe 
isn't  as  good-looking  as  Jim  Arm- 
strong or  Bob  Clary,  either.  I  like 
him,  though,  a  great  deal  better  than 
any  of  the  other  boys.  But  no  one 
shall  ever,  ever  know  it.  I  should  n't 
care  for  the  new  white  dress,  with  blue 
ribbons,  ma  promised  me ;  no,  I  should 
n't  care  for  anything,  if  he  went 
away!"  Just  then  her  mother  came 
in,  and  Ann  began  to  sing  merrily. 

"I'm  working  fast;  don't  you  think 
I  am,  ma?" 

"Yes,  honey;  you've  done  a  heap 
to-day. ' ' 

Four  weeks  from  the  day  Mr.  Rut- 
ledge  left  home,  just  as  the  sun  was 
sinking,  and  the  tinkle  of  old  Brindle  's 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  25 

bell  came  closer  and  closer,  as  she 
slowly  wended  her  way  up  the  hill, 
Mrs.  Eutledge  stepped  to  the  door 
with  the  milk-pail  in  her  hand.  In  the 
dim  distance  she  saw  a  team  slowly 
advancing. 

"Come  here,  Dave!"  said  she. 
' l  Hain  't  that  your  dad  I  Them  horses 
look  powerful  like  Bob  and  Sam." 

"Wai,  if  it  hain't,"  said  Dave,  and 
grabbing  his  hat  he  hurried  out  to 
meet  his  father.  It  was  not  long  be- 
fore they  drove  up  the  hill,  and  no  one 
ever  received  a  heartier  welcome  than 
did  Mr.  Rutledge  on  this  home-coming. 
He  related  many  wonderful  things 
that  he  had  seen  in  the  great  town  of 
St.  Louis. 

"Why,  ma,  there  wus  hundreds  of 
people  in  the  streets." 

"Law,  dad,  you  might  have  got  run 
over  and  killed,"  said  his  wife. 

"I  went  to  a  circus,  and  seen  a  ele- 
phant with  a  snout  longer  than  my 


26  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

arm.  I  give  it  some  gingerbread,  and 
be  durned  of  the  fool  thing  didn't 
know  me  next  day  when  they  had  it  on 
the  street!  Now,  here's  your  book, 
Ann ;  this  here  eddication  costs  a  heap 
o'  money.  I  paid  a  whole  dollar  fer 
that,  and  you  must  learn  every  word 
in  it." 

Several  months  elapsed;  it  was  the 
day  before  Christmas;  the  Rutledge 
family,  except  Ann,  were  up  very 
early,  as  there  was  much  to  be  done. 
Mrs.  Rutledge's  sister,  Aunt  Nancy 
Black,  with  her  son  and  daughter,  was 
coming  to  spend  a  week  with  them. 
Company  was  a  rare  thing,  and  they 
had  looked  forward  to  this  visit  with 
much  pleasure.  On  waking,  Ann 
looked  out  to  see  the  condition  of  the 
weather;  nothing  was  ever  more 
peaceful  than  the  scene  before  her. 
The  Sangamon  Valley  and  its  sur- 
rounding hills,  all  white  with  a  mantle 
of  new-fallen  snow,  sparkled  and 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  27 

gleamed  in  the  first  rays  of  the  rising 
sun.  The  little  houses  on  the  hillside 
were  as  so  many  white  altars,  the 
smoke  rising  from  the  chimneys  like 
incense. 

Ann  dressed  in  a  hurry,  for  she 
knew  it  was  late,  and  that  her  mother 
had  been  up  a  long  time.  "Dear,  un- 
selfish ma,"  she  said  to  herself;  "how 
lazy  I  am  to  lie  in  bed  and  let  her  get 
breakfast  alone,  expecting  company, 
too,  this  very  day.  Ma  will  be  all  worn 
out  by  the  time  Aunt  Nancy  comes." 

"Well,  Ann,"  said  her  father,  "did 
you  sleep  good?  Your  ma  hain't  let 
me  and  Dave  speak,  hardly,  feared 
we  'd  wake  you. ' ' 

Soon  Mr.  Eutledge  and  Dave  went 
out  to  feed  and  milk  the  cows,  and 
Mjrs.  Rutledge  and  Ann  busied  them- 
selves about  the  house,  planning  for 
their  visitors.  About  four  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon  a  bob-sled,  drawn  by 


28  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

two  gray  horses,  came  briskly  up  the 
road. 

"They  are  coming,"  said  Ann. 

By  the  time  her  mother  reached  the 
door  they  had  arrived. 

"Well,  Nancy,  I'm  powerful  glad 
to  see  you, ' '  said  Mrs.  Butledge ;  * '  and 
is  this  here  Johnny?  Well,  well,  and 
Becky,  honey;  I  would  n't  ha'  know'd 
you.  This  is  my  Ann."  Mrs.  Black 
gave  her  a  hearty  kiss  on  the  lips. 
Ann  had  not  seen  her  cousins  since 
they  were  quite  small.  Mr.  Rutledge 
and  Dave  came  in  soon  and  greetings 
were  exchanged.  As  the  Blacks  lived 
in  Canton,  they  were  looked  on  as  city 
folks.  Becky  was  very  pretty,  fair, 
with  blue  eyes  and  light  hair. 

On  Christmas  day,  Dave  and  John- 
ny hitched  up  the  bob-sled,  gathered 
up  the  young  folks  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, about  sixteen  in  all,  and  started 
off  for  a  jolly  time.  They  were  pack- 
ed in  snugly.  Abe  sat  by  Ann  and  her 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  29 

fair  cousin.  Becky  had  never  looked 
so  pretty  to  Ann  as  she  did  then. 
When  the  sun  shone  through  her  light 
curls  on  her  white  face,  Ann  thought 
she  was  really  beautiful,  and  wondered 
if  Abe  thought  so,  too. 

Mrs.  Rutledge  and  Mrs.  Black  were 
left  alone  to  enjoy  a  talk  over  old 
times,  as  they  sat  by  the  bright,  cheer- 
ful fire. 

"Say,  Nancy,  what  ever  becum  of 
them  Joneses  that  used  to  live  down  in 
the  holler  near  us?" 

"Law,  Becky,  they  hain't  been  thar 
this  long  time;  Manthy  and  Eachel 
and  Bob  are  all  dead,  and  the  house  is 
well-nigh  gone  to  pieces;  it  is  nuthin' 
like  it  used  to  be,  'ceptin'  the  little 
brook  and  the  ellum  trees.  I  could 
name  our  old  friends  that's  livin'  in 
shorter  time  than  't  would  take  me  to 
tell  you  of  all  them  as  is  gone,  Becky. 
There  hain't  nuthin'  sure  in  this 
world,  and  I  don't  care  much  fer  nuth- 


30  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

in'  since  he's  gone,"  she  said,  wiping 
away  a  tear  with  the  corner  of  her 
apron.  "If  't  weren't  fer  Becky  and 
Johnny  I'd  just  as  soon  fold  my  hands 
in  rest  as  not." 

"Yes,  Nancy;  but  it  is  fer  Johnny 
and  Becky  that  you  ought  to  cheer  up. 
God  knows  what  is  best  fer  us. ' ' 

"But  you've  got  your  man,  Becky, 
so  you've  the  whole  world." 

"Well,  I  must  say,  Rutledge  is 
powerful  good  to  me.  I  believe  I  hear 
the  children  a-comin'.  Law,  Nancy! 
Come  and  see  'em!  We  can  kinder 
live  our  lives  over  through  them.  I'm 
glad  they  're  havin '  such  a  good  time ; 
they  seem  awful  happy." 

The  Christmas  week  was  one  round 
of  pleasure,  and  the  Blacks  were  loth 
to  go  when  it  was  over.  Mrs.  Rut- 
ledge  was  very  sad  when  her  sister 
left,  as  she  thought  it  would  probably 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  31 

be  a  long  time  before  they  would  meet 
again. 

*          *  *          *          * 

Time  went  on.  Lincoln  made  rapid 
progress  in  his  studies.  Mr.  J.  T. 
Stuart,  of  Springfield,  had  given  him 
free  use  of  his  law  books,  and  Abe 
would  often  walk  there,  a  distance  of 
some  twenty  miles,  after  one.  Many 
times,  removing  his  shoes  to  save 
wear,  he  would  tie  them  together  by 
the  leather  strings  and  carry  them 
over  his  arm. 

Doctor  Allen,  who  was  the  only 
physician  for  miles  around,  was  look- 
ed upon  as  a  sage : 

''And  still  the  wonder  grew 
That  one  small  head  could  carry  all  he 
knew." 

This  reputation  the  doctor  greatly 
enjoyed. 

It  was  he  who  organized  the  first 
Sunday  school  in  New  Salem.  The 
young  folks  looked  forward  to  the 


32  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

Sunday  meetings  with  much  pleasure. 

Ann  had  charge  of  a  class  in  Sun- 
day school  over  which  she  presided 
with  grace  and  dignity.  Quaint  in- 
deed did  she  appear  in  the  dunstable 
her  mother  and  grandmother  had 
worn.  It  was  customary  in  those  days 
for  these  bonnets  to  pass  from  one 
generation  to  another. 

In  clear  tones  her  contralto  voice 
filled  the  little  church,  as  she  led  in 
the  singing,  and  moved  more  than  one 
young  man  to  devotion. 

One  morning  Mrs.  Eutledge  was 
churning,  and  she  and  Ann  were  so 
busily  talking  they  did  not  hear  a  rap 
at  the  door.  Susan  Yardly  walked  in. 

"You'll  excuse  me,  but  I  knocked 
several  times,  and  you  didn't  hear  me, 
so  I  just  walked  right  in." 

"Glad  to  see  you,"  said  Ann;  "let 
me  take  your  bonnet." 

"No,"  said  Susan;  "I  must  get 
back  home.  I  got  to  help  ma  with  the 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  33 

ironing.  I've  come  to  see  if  you 
wouldn't  like  to  go  with  us  all 
a-blackberryin'  to-morrow.'* 

"Who  all?"  said  Ann. 

"Why,  the  Potters,  Clarys,  Arm- 
strongs, and  Watkins;  then  there's 
some  folks  a-visitin'  the  Clarys,  a 
young  fellow  and  his  sister,  from  way 
up  north  of  here.  They  say  he's 
mighty  good-lookin'.  I  ain't  seen 
neither  of  'em  yet." 

"Looks  don't  count  for  anything," 
said  Ann. 

"Well,  will  you  go?"  said  Sue. 

"Yes,  and  I  thank  you  for  your 
trouble. ' ' 

"Trouble!  Why,  blackberryin'  or 
nuthin'  would  be  no  fun  without  you. 
The  boys  always  say,  first  thing,  'Is 
Ann  Eutledge  goinT  The  berries 
are  largest  and  thickest  in  Uncle  Lige 
Potter's  meadow,  and  that's  such  a 
pretty  place.  You  know  the  old  grape- 
vine swing  there,  near  the  spring,  and 


34  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

then  there 's  lots  of  pretty  flowers  that 
we  don't  have  around  here.  Them 
lady's  slippers  grow  thick  down  there. 
Well,  I  must  go  home.  We'll  meet 
you  at  the  mill.  Good-bye." 

" Good-bye,  Sue.  I'll  be  there  at 
eight  o'clock." 

The  next  morning  Ann  was  off  on 
time,  with  a  little  splint  basket  her 
mother  had  woven,  swinging  on  her 
arm.  She  heard  the  merry  voices  of 
her  companions  as  she  neared  the  old 
mill,  and  soon  joined  them. 

"Ann,  this  is  Harry  Blunt  and  his 
sister,  Tillie,"  said  Bob  Clary,  who 
felt  a  secret  satisfaction  in  having  so 
well  performed  the  ceremony  of  intro- 
duction, which  he  had  many  times  re- 
hearsed in  his  mind.  He  thought  Ann 
must  surely  admire  his  self-possession 
and  dignity. 

The  picnickers  did  not  mind  the 
dust  and  hot  sun,  nor  the  long  walk, 
for  when  they  reached  the  meadow 


LINCOLN'S  FTR8T  LOVE  35 

they  found  the  bushes  heavily  laden 
with  rich,  luscious  fruit,  and  they  soon 
filled  their  baskets.  After  resting 
awhile  under  the  shade  of  the  old 
trees,  " Let's  have  a  game  of  fox  and 
goose,"  said  Susan.  This  was  no 
sooner  proposed  than  the  ring  was 
formed,  and  the  young  folks  began 
merrily  chasing  each  other  around  the 
trees.  Harry  Blunt  asked  Ann  if  she 
wouldn't  like  a  swing  in  the  grape- 
vine. 

" Grapevines  don't  grow  as  big 
here,"  he  said,  "as  on  our  place. 
Why,  I've  seen  'em  bigger  round  than 
my  arm." 

Bob  Clary  and  Dorothy  Armstrong 
were  strolling  along,  when  suddenly, 
at  the  cry  of  "Snake!  snake!"  the 
girls  began  to  scream  and  the  boys  to 
scamper  for  sticks,  stones,  and  other 
weapons.  Jim  Armstrong  became  the 
hero  of  the  day,  by  his  bravery  and 
skill  in  killing  the  rattlesnake.  He 


36  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

slung  it  on  a  pole  and  carried  it  quite  a 
distance,  much  to  the  dismay  of  the 
girls. 

"It's  pretty  dusty.  I  guess  I'll 
hang  it  on  this  here  rail  fence  and 
bring  rain." 

"Oh,  what  a  tall  fence,"  said  Tillie 
Blunt. 

"Yes,  and  Abe  Lincoln  split  every 
rail  in  it,"  said  Bile  Potter;  "he's  so 
big  and  strong  he  can  split  a  heap  in  a 
day." 

"They  ought  to  call  him  the  rail 

splitter,"  said  Tillie  Blunt. 

***** 

One  day  in  May,  nearly  a  year  later, 
as  Ann  sat  by  the  door  stemming 
strawberries,  a  hand  was  laid  on  hers, 
and  looking  up  she  saw  a  tall  figure 
standing  by  her. 

' '  Why,  Abe,  how  you  frightened  me ! 
I  thought  you  were  in  Springfield. 
They  told  me  that  you  had  gone  there 
to  live ;  that  you  were  not  coming  back 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  37 

here.  I  thought  I  should  never  see 
you  fishing  at  the  old  mill  again;  and 
somehow,  Abe,  it  made  me — made  me 
— well,  feel  kind  of  sorry,  you  know, 
for  you  and  I  have  always  had  such 
good  times  together." 

"Don't  you  think,  Ann,  that  I  will 
ever  go  to  Springfield,  or  anywhere 
else  to  stay,  as  long  as  you  are  among 
the  dear  old  hills  of  Salem.  For,  dar- 
ling, do  you  not  know  that  I  love  you? 
And  Ann,  dear,  won 't  you  be  my  wife  f 
Don't  you  love  me?" 

She  stood  with  her  head  leaning 
against  the  door  jamb,  looking — look- 
ing— she  knew  not  where.  But  to  her 
it  seemed  straight  into  heaven.  Abe 
put  his  arm  about  her,  and  as  she  an- 
swered, "Yes,  I  love  you,  and  always 
shall,"  he  kissed  her  lips,  her  brown 
hair,  and  her  little  brown  hands, 
stained  with  strawberries.  The  two 
stood  silent  for  some  moments.  The 
hills  were  pink  with  crab-apple  bios- 


38  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

soms,  and  their  perfume  filled  all  the 
air. 

' '  What  must  Heaven  be,  Ann,  when 
this  world  is  so  beautiful?  I  know 
that  the  angels  are  like  you,  and  since 
I  have  your  love  I  will  be  a  better  and 
happier  man." 

Mrs.  Rutledge,  who  had  been  in  the 
garden  gathering  lettuce  and  radishes, 
was  surprised  to  see  Abe,  aj$vknew 
from  his  and  Ann 's  manner  that  some- 
thing unusual  had  occurred,  but  said 
nothing  about  it. 

"Well,  so  it  hain't  so  that  you've 
gone  to  Springfield  to  live,  then, 
Abe?" 

"No,  not  gone,  but  going.  I  have 
a  chance  to  study  law  there,  so  I  think 
I'll  try  it.  I  shall  miss  the  click  of  the 
old  mill,  the  rippling  of  the  Sangamon, 
the  song  of  the  thrush,  but  most  of 
all  my  dear  friends ;  and  though  I  shall 
be  in  Springfield,  my  heart  will  be  in 
Salem." 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  39 

"Here  comes  dad  and  Dave,  and 
supper  ain't  nigh  ready.  Have  you 
got  them  berries  stemmed?" 

"Just  about,  ma,"  replied  Ann. 

"I  will  help  you,"  said  Abe. 

"Set  the  table  fer  five,  Ann,  fer 
Abe's  got  to  stay;  he  ain't  et  here  this 
long  time." 

"Yes,"  said  Mr.  Rutledge,  who  had 
just  ci^e  in,  "and  I'll  beat  him  at 
a  game  of  checkers." 

An  invitation,  as  it  were,  which 
could  not  be  declined.  Abe  won  the 
first  game;  and  thereafter,  Mr.  Rut- 
ledge,  having  won  the  next  two  games, 
thought  it  time  to  quit.  The  evening 
was  perfect.  Abe  and  Ann  walked  by 
the  light  of  the  pale  moon  down  by  the 
river.  He  picked  up  from  the  sand  a 
flat  stone,  about  eight  inches  square, 
and  laid  it  aside,  saying,  ' '  To-morrow 
I'll  carve  upon  this  stone  the  date  of 
our  betrothal." 

A  few  days  later  Lincoln  bade  fare- 


40  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

well  to  the  woman  to  whom  he  had 
plighted  his  troth,  and  to  the  scenes 
where  were  spent  his  happiest  days; 
and  returned  to  his  studies. 

Ann  found  her  mother  and  father 
alone  next  morning. 

"Did  Abe  get  off,  Ann!" 

"Yes,  dada;  and  some  day  I  am  go- 
ing with  him,  for  yesterday  he  told  me 
he  loved  me  better  than  all  the  world, 
and  asked  me  to  be  his  wife.  There, 
ma,  don't  cry,  I  will  come  often  to  see 
you  and  dada." 

"Oh,  Ann!  your  dad  and  me  loves 
you  so.  Abe's  a  good  fellow,  and  I 
know  he '11  be  kind  to  you.  I  hain't  no 
objections  to  him,  but  it's  hard  to  give 
you  up.  Thar  won't  be  no  more  sing- 
in'  about  the  house;  and  all  day,  while 
dad  and  Dave  are  in  the  field,  I  will  be 
alone." 

Ann  glanced  over  at  her  father  just 
as  he  brushed  a  tear  away  with  his 
sleeve.  She  went  to  him,  put  her  arms 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  41 

around  his  neck,  and  said:  "Dada, 
you  and  ma  will  come  to  see  us ;  I  will 
have  one  room  just  for  you,  and  we 
shall  have  your  visits  to  look  forward 
to." 

1  *  Yes,  Ann.  I  must  not  act  this  here 
way ;  I  know  now  how  your  ma 's  folks 
felt  when  I  took  her.  Abe,  I  know, 
is  a  mighty  honest  feller,  and  I've 
knowed  fer  a  long  time  he  loved  you. 
All  I  can  say  is,  he  is  a  lucky  man." 

After  Lincoln  left  Salem,  Ann  was 
never  the  same.  She  missed  him,  and 
longed  to  hear  his  footstep  on  the  old 
walk  leading  to  the  house. 

She  would  often  stand  on  the  brow 
of  the  hill,  from  where  she  could  see 
the  cattle  feding  in  the  green,  shady 
pastures,  and  hear  the  birds  sing. 
There  was  little  beauty  in  the  scene,  or 
sweetness  in  the  robin's  song. 

And  she  would  sing  over  and  over 
again  the  old  song — 


42  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

"Ye  banks  and  braes  o'  bonnie  Boon, 
How  can  ye  bloom  sae  fresh  and  fair? 

How  can  ye  chant,  ye  little  birds, 
And  I  sae  weary,  fu '  o '  care  ? ' ' 

Lincoln's  business  kept  him  closely 
confined ;  but  a  few  days  before  Ann 's 
twentieth  birthday  she  received  a  let- 
ter containing  the  happy  news  of  her 
lover's  coming.  He  would  be  with  her 
on  the  fifteenth  day  of  July,  her  birth- 
day. The  hot  summer  days  seemed  to 
exhaust  Ann,  and  she  was  unable  to 
attend  to  the  duties  her  mother  had 
always  required  of  her,  but  she 
brightened  up  a  little  at  the  thought  of 
Abe's  coming. 

The  long-expected  day  arrived.  But 
the  tender  heart  of  Lincoln  sank  with- 
in him  when  he  noted  Ann's  languid 
air  and  sad  eyes.  She  hoped  that  he 
wouldn't  notice  that  she  was  ill,  but 
he  knew  it  all  too  well. 

"Tell  me,  dear,"  he  said,  as  they  sat 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  43 

on  an  old  log  by  the  river,  "do  you 
regret  the  vow  you  made  me?" 

"Oh,  Abe!  how  can  you  speak  so? 
I  should  die  if  it  were  not  for  your 
love  for  me ;  it  is  all  I  live  for.  I  am 
thinking  of  you  all  day,  and  every 
night  I  dream  of  you.  But,  Abe,  some- 
times I  dream  that  in — in  that  great 
place  where  you  now  live,  you  have 
forgotten  poor  me  and  don't  care  to 
come  to  see  me  any  more.  Then  when 
I  awake,  I  feel  so  heavy-hearted. ' ' 

"Look  into  my  eyes,  dearest,  and 
let  me  tell  you  that  as  God  is  my 
judge,  my  love  is  all  yours.  My  only 
thought  is  of  the  happy  time  when  I 
can  take  you  with  me,  transplant  my 
little  wild  rose  of  Salem  to  the  city, 
where  she  will  still  be  the  fariest  of 
the  fair." 

1  *  Now,  dear  Abe,  I  shall  try  never  to 
feel  sad  again,  and  not  let  that  wretch- 
ed feeling,  that  soon  we  are  to  part 
forever, — come  near  me  again. ' ' 


44  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

"Do  you  remember  the  stone,  Ann, 
I  told  you  I  would  engrave?  Well,  I 
carved  upon  it — 'Ann  Rutledge  and 
Abraham  Lincoln  were  betrothed  May 
5th,  1835.'  I  buried  it  at  the  corner 
of  the  old  store.  There  it  shall  stay 
until  our  heads  are  silver-white,  and 
we  together  will  then  unearth  it,  and 
you  will  say  to  me,  'Abe,  you  have 
kept  your  vow.' 

"I  must  go  ba«k  to  Springfield  to- 
night, Ann,  but  before  I  leave  you, 
you  must  tell  me  when  I  may  come  for 
you.  Make  it  soon,  dear.  Shall  it  be 
next  month,  in  August?" 

"Oh,  not  so  soon  as  that,  Abe; 
think  how  lonely  poor  ma  and  dada 
would  be." 

"If  you  should  wait  a  year  they 
would  be  just  as  loth  to  part  from 
you,"  he  said.  "You  can  come  to  see 
them  often,  Ann." 

"Well,  when  the  maple  leaves  are 
crimson,  and  the  sunlight 's  hazy,  too ; 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  45 

when  the  cardinal  flower's  in  blossom, 
and  the  goldenrod  hangs  in  rich  yellow 
plumes,  I  will  go  with  you  to  our  new 
home ;  but  I  shall  never  feel  strange  or 
lonely,  because  I  shall  have  you.  I 
shall  be  your  wife." 

''That  means  that  I  may  come  for 
you  in  October.  Uncle  Peter  Cart- 
wright  will  marry  us,  and  all  will  be 
joy  and  happiness.  Good  night,  dear 
girl.  When  I  come  again,  let  me  find 
your  eyes  bright  and  your  heart 
light." 

He  left  Ann  at  her  door,  and  mount- 
ing his  horse,  rode  away.  She  listened 
to  the  sound  of  the  horse 's  hoofs  until 
it  died  away  in  the  distance,  then  went 
to  her  little  bedroom  and  knelt  in 
prayer,  thanking  God  for  the  many 
blessings  she  had  received  She 
tucked  the  little  patch-work  quilt 
about  her  aching  form,  and  sank  down 
in  her  bed,  never  to  leave  it. 

For  two  long  weeks  she   suffered. 


46  LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE 

Doctor  Allen  was  summoned,  but  his 
bitter  doses  were  of  no  avail.  Nothing 
could  assuage  the  high  fever.  She 
called  for  Abe  repeatedly,  and  they 
thought  best  to  send  for  him.  Dave, 
riding  one  horse  and  leading  another, 
hurried  off  to  Springfield. 

-  Just  at  ten  o  'clock  the  next  morning 
Abe  and  Dave  entered  Salem;  and 
Abe,  in  his  anxiety,  was  not  long  in 
reaching  Ann's  bedside. 

"Oh,  Abe,  I  am  so  glad  you  have 
come,  dear ! ' '  said  Ann.  ' '  I  thought  I 
must  die  without  seeing  you.  I 
wanted  so  to  tell  you  not  to  grieve  for 
me,  and  to  comfort  ma  and  dada  when 
I  am  gone. ' ' 

"Dear,  you  are  not  going  to  leave 
me!  Why,  I  could  not  live  without 
you ! ' ' 

"God  knows  better  than  we,"  she 
said.  *  *  Sing  to  me,  dear. ' ' 

He  knelt  by  her  bed,  and  with  trem- 


LINCOLN'S  FIRST  LOVE  47 

bling  voice  sang  her  favorite  hymn, 

' '  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way, 
His  wonders  to  perform." 

Lincoln  sat  by  her  all  day,  holding 
her  feverish  hand.  He  would  not 
leave  her  a  moment,  nor  did  he  eat 
anything. 

Just  at  twilight,  when  the  young 
moon  hung  low  and  bright  o'er  the 
western  hills,  and  all  nature  seemed 
hushed  by  the  wonderful  spell;  when 
father,  mother,  brother,  and  lover 
were  at  her  side,  Ann  Rutledge,  with  a 
long,  sad  look  into  the  eyes  of  Abra- 
ham Lincoln,  passed  into  the  spiritual 
world. 

She  was  buried  beneath  an  old  elm- 
tree  in  Concord  churchyard,  but  the 
body  was  afterwards  removed  to  Oak- 
land cemetery  at  Petersburg.  After 
the  burial,  Lincoln  threw  himself  up- 
on the  grave,  saying  these  words : 

"Here  lies  the  body  of  Ann  Rut- 
ledge,  and  the  heart  of  Abe  Lincoln." 


